Amid protest, Omaha board advances transgender policy

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Omaha school board has advanced a measure updating the district's anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity or gender expression, weathering a stormy debate.

The district's policy was written in 2014 and bans discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, disability and age. The proposal approved on the board's first vote Monday would add gender expression and identity to the policy.

Community members on both sides of the issue spoke at Monday night's meeting.

Some critics of the proposal said the district was asking for more trouble.

"You don't need boys going to girls bathrooms, you don't need girls going to boys bathrooms...It's an appalling thing when you try to make it all inclusive," Charles Billups said. "You're asking for more trouble. It's like opening Pandora's box. You're trying to destroy the very fabric of what America is all about."

Speakers against the policy change warned that victims of abuse would be further traumatized by sharing bathrooms and locker rooms.

Billie Grant, a woman who survived sexual abuse, said she wouldn't feel threatened if transgender students shared a locker room or restroom with her. Grant and others said the transgender students needed safe spaces to go to the bathroom or change clothes for physical education classes.

"Will you see (students) as people who need a safe space to wash their face after P.E. or urinate before a test, or will you see them as predators?" Grant said.

The board gave unanimous, first-round approval to update the anti-discrimination policy. A final vote is scheduled for next month.

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Copyright 2016 The Gayly - 8/16/2016 @ 4:51 p.m. CDT